During National Native American Heritage Month, the U.S. Department of Commerce (USDOC) reiterated its commitment to closing the 'digital divide' for tribal communities.
USDOC's National Telecommunications and Information Administration's (NTIA) Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act seeks to provide access to reliable and affordable high-speed internet nationwide, especially to those living on tribal land and other traditionally underserved areas, a USDOC news release said.
“Tribal nations have been left out of critical investments in broadband infrastructure for far too long,” U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo said in the release. “These investments will help many Native American, Alaskan Native and Native Hawaiian communities gain long-overdue access to life-saving technologies, economic opportunities, remote learning and countless other benefits.”
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act includes a $42.45 billion program to address the issues of broadband affordability and digital inclusion, the release said. There is an additional $2 billion for NTIA’s Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program (TBCP), which seeks to boost tribal community participation in the modern economy.
Indigenous communities are among the most underserved populations for broadband access in the country, with roughly half of households on tribal lands lacking access to broadband service at home, the release said.
“Not only do Tribal nations need and deserve to be heard when it comes to equitable access to broadband, but the Department of Commerce and NTIA recognizes that representation is equally important when concerning these issues,” Raimondo said in the release. “We are proud that the team leading these efforts come from the Tribes and communities they are working to serve through this program and understand these issues deeply and personally.”
